Buddha Jayanthi Chaithya

Buddha Jayanthi Chaithya is a white bell-shaped stupa standing on two intersecting concrete arches that rise 47 meters above the harbor entrance. The structure contains a preaching hall beneath the main dome with four meditation rooms positioned around the interior statues.

Construction began in 1956 to celebrate 2,500 years of Buddhism, with engineer A.N.S. Kulasinghe leading the project and the Port Commission providing support. The monument was built to commemorate a major religious and cultural occasion for the nation.

The four Buddha statues inside face the cardinal directions and create a space for devotion. The painted walls tell stories from Buddhist teachings and invite meditation and reflection.

The climb involves 258 barefoot steps, so plan time for rest breaks during the ascent. The site is open from early morning until 6:00 PM daily and offers views of the harbor from the top.

The structure merges modern engineering with religious design in an unusual way that few visitors expect. It was specifically designed to be prominently visible from the water as ships enter the harbor.